Mountain Biking - Women mountain bikers

I noticed that I don't stand up as much as my male mtbing partners. I can if I want to, but I seem to lose a lot of control over the bike and am much more comofortable sitting, even when ascending steep slopes. I honestly don't get that much more power by standing anyway. Why is this? Do I just need to practice more? Is there some upper-body strength issue here? Do other female riders have trouble standing?

No it means you are riding more efficiently. You really should have no need to stand while mountain biking (yes guys I know you do - but do you really have to???)

Also may have something to do with equipment. I am more likely to stand if on my hardtail than if riding my fully.

Women tend to ride using their gears... men have more strength and will use that instead of finesse. There is no right or wrong and I wouldn't worry if you don't stand much. They should be wondering how come you can stay in the saddle and still climb! ;)

Edited to add: If you mean while descending... no one should be standing. Everyone, including women, should be sitting off the back of the saddle; it's more a slide back than a stand up. That does take practice.

it hurts when the saddle hoofs you in the nuts when you ride a tricky part.

if your rear is glued to the seat it doesn't hurt much at all. when you hit a bump, bounce off the saddle an inch and then hit another bump successively, that's when the saddle knows it's time to strike!

You may be a bit lighter than your male counterparts. When you sit your weight is effectively "unsprung" (assuming a hardtail here). When you stand your weight is "sprung". It's a bit more efficient to cary sprung weight than unsprung weight over rough terrain. So for heavier riders the point at which it's more efficient to stand comes earlier, hence more standing.

I think sitting is often (usually?) the best, most efficient way to ride so you may just have better technique than the guys you ride with as well...

It's more efficient to climb while seated, but you climb faster when standing. Climbing out of the saddle on a road bike requires skill to do it well, on a mountain bike, it requires A LOT of skill, especially during technical sections.

BCIpam hit the nail on the head, standing on a full suspension bike is like running in molasses. I lock my shock out, but it's still a mushy feeling.

sweet yeah. I'm riding full squishy...I'd be curious to hear some responses from ladies, tho.

sweet yeah. I'm riding full squishy...I'd be curious to hear some responses from ladies, tho.

bike forums is a sausage party

No it means you are riding more efficiently. You really should have no need to stand while mountain biking (yes guys I know you do - but do you really have to???)

This is extremely ********, even by BF standards.

No need to stand while mountain biking? That is idiotic.

but do you really have to???

Yes



Edited to add: If you mean while descending... no one should be standing. Everyone, including women, should be sitting off the back of the saddle; it's more a slide back than a stand up. That does take practice.

Also wrong.

you get bucked off the bike if your not standing over the rough stuff.. that's why you stand, and to let your rear end breath a little. I find better control when standing you can lean the bike without leaning yourself.

No it means you are riding more efficiently. You really should have no need to stand while mountain biking (yes guys I know you do - but do you really have to???)

Also may have something to do with equipment. I am more likely to stand if on my hardtail than if riding my fully.

Women tend to ride using their gears... men have more strength and will use that instead of finesse. There is no right or wrong and I wouldn't worry if you don't stand much. They should be wondering how come you can stay in the saddle and still climb! ;)

Edited to add: If you mean while descending... no one should be standing. Everyone, including women, should be sitting off the back of the saddle; it's more a slide back than a stand up. That does take practice.


This may be the worst advice I've ever seen here. I mean, the edited part is exactly the opposite of reality..

This may be the worst advice I've ever seen here. I mean, the edited part is exactly the opposite of reality..

...and to add, it's not even eloquent enough to be signature-worthy.

Okay, I've an idea for a game, the first person to lick their rotor after a long downhill wins.


And be sure to take video evidence.


Because after all, that isn't anymore ******** than anything else in this bloody thread...

I think it comes down to riding style. I have friends who leave it in high gear and are out the saddle all the time wheras my fat ass almost NEVER come out of the saddle I just drop it into granny and grind it out. I find I get more traction out of the rear that way. But like I said personal preference.

Edit: That is only climbing. I am never in the saddle descending it is a big of a pain in the ass.

Let's hope that BCIpam isn't spreading bad advice too far like defective DNA in the gene pool.

OP: A lot of the time MTB riding is all about standing/being off the saddle. Especially decending . Get in the habit of doing it.

I think it comes down to riding style. I have friends who leave it in high gear and are out the saddle all the time wheras my fat ass almost NEVER come out of the saddle I just drop it into granny and grind it out. I find I get more traction out of the rear that way. But like I said personal preference.

Going down it's usually a matter of necessity, not 'style'.Either you don't do much in the way of decending or your downhills are packed and smooth.

Going down it's usually a matter of necessity, not 'style'.Either you don't do much in the way of decending or your downhills are packed and smooth.

I changed my post up. I was only talking about climbing. I am never in the saddle going downhill.

Climbing Road/Trail: You should always be tucked down a little into the center of your bike to get the dead weight effect onto your bike for maximum climb and grip. Standing and pumping is a foolish way to climb a hill, the only reason you see it done on tv is because their racing, not trying to enjoy a hill climb. And don't put it in the lowest gear, find one that is just right for you. When I climb hills Ill ride straight up them as long as I can, as soon as I get tired I will ride up the hill going left to right like a zigzag, while crossing each side of the trail/road I can relax enough to get a little more energy in me to do another straight up climb.

Downhill Road/Trail: If you're on a flat surface like a road then tuck your self into your bike BECOME one with it and get as aerodynamic as possible. As for a trail with bumps and rocks and those big branches. You will want to stand up, not fully but enough to keep your butt off your seat, and again stay as aerodynamic as much as you can, and be prepared to lean that bike left or right.

I hope I helped.

I noticed that I don't stand up as much as my male mtbing partners. I can if I want to, but I seem to lose a lot of control over the bike and am much more comofortable sitting, even when ascending steep slopes. I honestly don't get that much more power by standing anyway. Why is this? Do I just need to practice more? Is there some upper-body strength issue here? Do other female riders have trouble standing?

like mentioned before men sit down due to their two fleshy dangling punching bags of pain. every man has to train him self from an early age to avoid unwanted contact between the legs. standing on a bike is instinct all physics aside. some things are necessity not an option.

i am not a big guy but i can use my entire body weight whilst standing. it uses alot more energy but is alot faster. depending on the climb and rider the pros and cons can go either way,

Edited to add: If you mean while descending... no one should be standing. Everyone, including women, should be sitting off the back of the saddle; it's more a slide back than a stand up. That does take practice.

Wow.....that could be worst advice ever given on BF. Are you serious? No one should be standing while decending? Please say you're joking.

Standing and pumping is a foolish way to climb a hill, the only reason you see it done on tv is because their racing, not trying to enjoy a hill climb. And don't put it in the lowest gear, find one that is just right for you. When I climb hills Ill ride straight up them as long as I can, as soon as I get tired I will ride up the hill going left to right like a zigzag, while crossing each side of the trail/road I can relax enough to get a little more energy in me to do another straight up climb.


Uhhh, huh? There are plenty of reasons to stand while climbing other than racing. Power bursts, resting the back, etc, etc, etc. As for the zig-zagging.... many of us don't have that luxury. It's called singletrack.

Standing and pumping is a foolish way to climb a hill,

The only thing foolish is your inaccurate comment about climbing.

On many of my rides standing is the only to get up the hill.

In addition, the reason that many folks will stand will climbing hills (that don't necessarily require standing) is to slightly alter the load on their leg muscles, since standing uses your leg muscles in a slightly different way.

OK boys settle down. First of all if riding full squishy there is no need to stand over technical sections and squishy riders know that. If on a hard tail or rigid then I understand you are forced to stand, using your legs like a rear shock. Trust me I ride rigid, HT and Fully.

There is a difference to me of standing up on the bike and pulling off the rear of the saddle. If I stand straight up, that would put the center of my weight over the saddle, not good for descents. I want my weight off the back so I pull off the saddle, using my legs and centering over the rear wheels. I think that's what you assume is the same as standing up but there is a big difference in standing on a climb and pulling off the saddle in a descent (really if you read what I posted we are saying the same thing).

And face it--- men and women ride differently. Women are more finesse and men power. Alot of my buddies power up steep ascents in a higher gear, using leg strength and piston action to climb. I tend, as do most women, to use my gears, stay sitted with is more efficient, and allow the bike and my endurance to get me up the hill.

In commenting it would probably be a good idea to mention that style of bike you ride. My comments were geared to the OP who I assumed was on a fully. If you are riding a HT or rigid, it makes a difference.

Anyway settle down, give the OP advice and laid off me and my womanly advice. ;)

bike forums is a sausage party

Obviously!!!! :lol:

Wow, the hits just keep on coming.

i've always climbed steep hills standing up... i suppose i don't have the finesse to sit while doing it? i find my front wheel sometimes lifts if i sit down. i stand to help balance weight over the wheels; so my rear doesn't spin out and so my front doesn't lift.

either way i'm still usually spinning 'round 90 - 120rpm...

Yeah, wow, these are not the responses I expected. Total sausage fest. I'm gonna have to agree with BCI Pam here. Descending posture is definitely very different from actually standing--I'm usually almost over my rear tire, butt very far back and off the saddle but knees bent, (but I'm a little hesitant to even say anything about how I ride now judging by the not-so-helpful responses. whatever) which is very different from actually "standing up". Standing up can be really helpful over steep technical ascents, but I am much less quick to do it than my male counterparts. I will if I have to, I just don't usually have to. thank you for the helpful replies, I think I'm getting that it is mostly a matter of preference. Whatever gets you up the hill, gets you up the hill

actually most of these responses were awesome

OK boys settle down. First of all if riding full squishy there is no need to stand over technical sections and squishy riders know that.

You are an utter idiot and you should stop posting that kind of nonsense.

Just because you ride tame terrain and/or lack riding experience on real technical terrain doesn't mean that it's disadvantageous to stand while climbing. Especially on an FS bike of technical terrain.

It's obvious from your posts in this thread that you lack any meaningful riding experience on tech terrain.

I pity any newb who takes your lameass "advice" to heart.

You simply don't known what the hell you are typing about

im a man and i dont stand while climbing very often. i like to use my gears and spin up the climbs.

The sweeping generalizations about never standing to climb are great! I've ridden plenty of places that have climbs that even in your lowest granny, you're not going to get up them by sitting and spinning. This has nothing to do with male vs. female. Ridden with plenty of ladies on some of those same trails, and they end up climbing up those steep bits the same way.

That doesn't even take into account standing to get over some sort of technical obstacle in the middle of a trail whilst climbing. Some technical steeps require such to get up to the top.

I'm not going to even touch the descending stuff. F4TT has already said it better than I could.

Maybe some of ya'll need to get out and find some technically challenging climbs, or steeper climbs to see what we mean.

....so I can just sit on my Bullit and rip it up.Cool, I have learned something on BF today. I was under the impression that getting off the saddle and working the bike under me was a much better way to ride aggressive gnar but I see that I am wrong.

....so I can just sit on my Bullit and rip it up.Cool, I have learned something on BF today. I was under the impression that getting off the saddle and working the bike under me was a much better way to ride aggressive gnar but I see that I am wrong.

No, you need the toughest, most advanced suspension system for that. And that silly single pivot buillit, I'm afraid, just won't cut it.

I always stand on the climbs .. directly to the left of my bike.

I have found the most effective way to climb is to pull the bar down on the chairlift.

how hot are you?

maybe thats your problem...your too hawt!

no but seriously, my advice is to not compare yourself to others even if they are the same sex. just have fun and ride as much as you can.

I always stand on the climbs .. directly to the left of my bike.

LMAO!

Lol

I'm a girl, and I ride an FS, and I stay out of the saddle on downhills. How far back I am on the bike depends on how steep the hill is (I was always told to try to keep my weight centered above the bottom bracket), but I hardly ever sit while descending, unless it's like a fire road or something. Standing lets the bike move underneath you, and it's easier to pump features and not get bucked off the bike that way. I guess it's not really "standing," per say, since my knees are still bent...maybe "hovering above/behind the saddle" is a better way to put it.

For ascending, I really prefer to stay seated, since the rear wheel has more traction that way, and it tires you out less. So as long as it's not really steep, I stay in the saddle, drop my chest as close to the handlebars as possible, and just use a high cadence. Unfortunately though, that just doesn't cut it when it gets TOO steep, and in cases like that, you really have to get your weight forward and get out of the saddle. Even if it's not technical...Slickrock (in Moab) isn't a "technical" trail...most of it is about as bumpy and rocky as the roads I ride my road bike on...but it's super steep, and unless I'm out of the saddle, I can pretty much assume I'm either flipping over backwards or getting stuck halfway up the hill.

i realize that this is in the mountain biking section, but...

when i'm on my road rides out in the country (where you see the other roadies), i do notice that female roadies tend to sit more than the male roadies.

there was an occasion i was following a couple of riders, a man and a woman, and i noticed that the man would stand more frequently than the women. i was following these two for maybe ten minutes. we were all traveling about the same speed and they were a good 700m in front of me when i first saw them. took a while to catch up and pass :P.

on a road bike i almost never stand. sometimes hover over the saddle on rough roads for descents... and for ascending i'll stand only when i just don't have what it takes to get over the crest of a hill!

So, how do you folks who always sit manage to jump over logs?

How come the threads asking for advice from women just turn into more jokes and pissing contests by the men? I hate to say it, but I really hope there is a secret women's forum just so that we can have intelligent conversations once in a while.

On-topic, and dangly-bits aside, remember that a man's centre of mass is in his chest, while a woman's is in her hips. Standing and leaning forward may very well be a more efficient configuration for a guy in some situations, whereas a girl might not notice as much difference between having her butt on the saddle and having it a couple of inches in front of the saddle.

Watching the Tour de France, I was fascinated by some of the acrobatics these guys did to get their centres of mass lower and further forward. At one point during a descent, one guy was crouching in front of and below his saddle, with his chest over the handlebars and his head right out in front so that he was looking down at his tire.

Watching the Tour de France, I was fascinated by some of the acrobatics these guys did to get their centres of mass lower and further forward. At one point during a descent, one guy was crouching in front of and below his saddle, with his chest over the handlebars and his head right out in front so that he was looking down at his tire.

Is that for center of gravity or is that for aerodynamics?

Is that for center of gravity or is that for aerodynamics?
I think that position is use in hemorrhoid flare ups!

Is that for center of gravity or is that for aerodynamics?

I suspected a bit of both, actually. The way he insisted on pointing his helmet forward made me think he was going for aerodynamics. But I know from tobogganing that if the heavier kid is at the front of the sled, you're more stable and less likely to spin out during a fast descent. ;)

I hate to say it, but I really hope there is a secret women's forum just so that we can have intelligent conversations once in a while.

I had no idea that was possible.

I had no idea that was possible.

A secret forum, or intelligent conversations?

A woman that I ride with stands and hammers alot. She rides a singlespeed though. She also kicks major ass.

A secret forum, or intelligent conversations?

I'll let you decide.........:innocent:

I hate to say it, but I really hope there is a secret women's forum just so that we can have intelligent conversations once in a while.


Sexist.